The Wandering Child
by Le Redhead Merchant
Summary: She made a great leap into forbidden territory. Her kind was feared by them, no matter what they tried. In a stroke of luck from the Lady herself, she passed as one of them, and found exactly who she wanted. It was only a matter of time until they realized what she was. [Parallel story to Ashera's Curse.]
1. Finally Free?

_Finally_

* * *

The entire royal court came that day. They all came to mock, to glower at this ridiculous outrage. She glanced around the dark marble courtroom, well aware of their ill-intended murmurs and grumbles. She didn't care. She only stuck her nose up at them, for they simply didn't understand.

Many had already slipped into their lavishly cushioned courtroom chairs, partaking in the offerings of fine tea laid before them.

She only sat perfectly still, only moving her eyes to inspect, to judge. Shallow, hawking eyes filled the hall. Their politely quiet banter echoed about, impossible to discern any one conversation from another. Impossible, that is, for any human. She easily heard the shockingly savage insults.

They'd see one day. They'd comprehend her visions, her ideals. She should have known better than to voice her true sentiment.

Suddenly, a booming voice rang about the walls as a kingly presence filled the room. "Ladies and gentlemen of Sarakan court, though we converse in polite pleasure, the true reason of our gathering lurks about. I must now bring this to light," he said grimly, his deep-throated voice resonating throughout.

She neither shrank back nor cast her glance down. She dared to reach forward and pour herself a cup of tea, sipping it daintily as if she hadn't a single care. For a moment, as she sat at the farthest chair from the king's podium, all eyes hastily glanced at her.

"As you know, one Sarakan in particular has suggested something we've not dared to do in twenty years. That Sarakan," he barely sighed, his stern glare growing slightly sterner, "is my daughter." His voice, laced with such utter disappointment, proved enough to make the smallest of cracks in her demeanor.

All attendants shot accusing eyes at her. For a single astonishing moment, all fell deathly silent within the court of Saraka.

She possessed the floor. "If I may speak, Father," she requested, intending on speaking regardless. She rose from her seat, staring down the table valiantly.

He gingerly nodded.

She stood straight and tall as any educated noble should. "Now then, lords and ladies, as you all know, the barbaric territories south of here have been trying our patience mercilessly, sending bandits over our borders to pilfer our agricultural sources among other things, such as trade routes. They've mysteriously managed to break down the physical borders we've erected. Sickness and famine have gripped the outer skirts of Saraka, rendering them weak and unable to fight against them.

"Our military forces are ill-suited for guarding the lower territories; it is still in disarray from the brutal war that broke apart the neighboring countries. Since we cannot travel further down to make peace with the nations below us, we've no choice but to turn to other places for help." The entire room sat on edge, preparing for the words to come. "We must travel North, overseas, to request help. It is the only way to prevent our country from rotting away under these attacks."

She flinched not even once as the entire courtroom erupted.

"Preposterous! They will treat us as sub-humans, or worse, monsters!"

"You remember what happened to them all! You remember your dear mother! She never came back!"

"Aye, and my brother!"

"My father was the first one of us to return home safely, and he was tried for witchcraft! The disgraceful brand still mars his arm!"

The king frowned deeply, barking a silencing phrase, "Silence, please! Order, peace, everyone!" He rubbed his chin worriedly, heaving a sigh. The din faded, though anger still etched itself in many faces. "You know of Tellian lore, daughter. They treated the Laguz as slaves, less than human. We can only assume they will treat us the same, given our long history with such ignorantly bred humans. They don't understand us like the humans here do," the king gestured widely around the court, bringing nods of assent.

She dipped her delicate brow. "But Father, they learned how to change! The heroes brought new ideas into life. They learned how to live with one another!" she protested.

"At what cost? The entire continent falling into war. That is what it took for the people to realize their faults. We cannot risk such," he sternly reprimanded her.

His statement seemed illogical to her, for more reasons than one. "These humans have had but a small amount of exposure to our kind. The only one who returned competent never even _looked_ at someone of high class! For all we know, the others have found a way to live with them as normal people would," she replied. Sweat began to bead on her snow white forehead. According to her audience, her argument had taken root. The hardest was yet to come.

Her father's countenance grew stricter still. "Yet they would not seek out help for us? Nay, the brave Sarakans sent over were true to their country," he dismissed her former statement, "Your sentiment of their mission failing proves all the more reason not to send anyone. We cannot afford the risk."

"We're running out of time! If someone just tried to befriend them, we could negotiate with ease. Someone only has to try, just one more time!" she shouted, desperate to prove her case.

"No one will be sent over," he boomed, "are we clear?"

"But Father, if I only-"

"Am I clear, Sai'Teke?" his voice shook the hall.

His second advisor, whose superior was absent with a terrible illness, scurried up to him. "Lord Arren," she whispered, barely audible.

He nodded, motioning for her to speak into his ear.

Being absurdly tall for a Sarakan, she had to bend down slightly. Her dark strands of hair fell in front of her face, obscuring her mouth from view.

The king nodded and his expression varied from time to time, but ultimately twisted into an emotion of deep division, as if a great decision had been set upon his shoulders. He stepped back up to the podium to speak. He stood for ten long seconds. "I will not go back on my word. The result is final. Meeting adjourned," he declared wearily, stepping down from the platform and slowly making his way off to the side door, servants in tow.

His advisor simply stood, facing perfectly forward with that feathering, short, dark hair of hers. Her magenta eyes bored into the back wall of the room.

Sai'Teke huffed and slumped back into her chair as nobles filtered out of the courtroom, sickeningly triumphant smiles on most, while others sported a more troubled expression. She could only hope her argument had sunk its teeth into those few. Eventually, she sat in silence in the midst of the ominous court, also completely alone. She was alone in her choice, she realized.

"Lady Sai'Teke,"

She turned with a jerk.

"I can help you if you wish. But you musn't tell your father." The second advisor stood before her, garbed in an eggplant purple tunic. It matched her personality well.

She wondered what that could mean. Why would the advisor, of all people, aid the princess in the most detested idea of the decade?

"Hm, confused? Lost? Well, follow me, and I'll spell it out for you. Then, you shall make your choice," she cackled. She turned on her heel and strode toward the exit on the east side.

Sai'Teke abruptly jumped after her. "Wait, please!" she cried.

The woman, whose name was Yukiko if Sai'Teke remembered correctly, turned her head and halted. "Don't wait up for me, dear," she whispered, "come along now to the library, where we shall find some peace enough." With that, she beckoned her along and sauntered to the arched doorway.

She skidded the chair away from the table and scampered across the reflective marble, straightening up halfway and walking like a proper lady. She successfully caught up with the long-legged woman, but just barely kept pace.

* * *

A single candle illuminated the Tower Study. It cast a wavering glow upon well-loved leather-bound books piled on an aged wood desk.

"My name is Yukiko. You should know this already, but I'll spare you the trouble of asking," the pale woman spoke in a low tone. She placed a scroll of yellowed paper on the desk and folded her hands neatly before it, tossing her head to move her dark bangs from her eyes.

Sai'Teke nodded and squirmed uncomfortably in her chair. She gazed across at the strange woman before her. The low light made her appear almost... Demonic, in a way. She shivered.

A satisfied smile spread over Yukiko's rouge lips. "Any questions before we start?" she inquired.

"N-no," Sai'Teke responded hesitantly. She swept a lock of gold hair out of her face.

Yukiko grinned. "Wonderful," she murmured, "Now, I have a proposal for you." She unrolled the scroll and held the corners down with four ornate paperweights, assumably found on the desk. Intricate lines covered the paper in ink, with letters, numbers, symbols, and pictures. "I will take you to the Northern Countries."

"A map," Sai'Teke gasped, "And of course I will go! It is the only way." She'd studied that a consistent argument oft won over a flimsy and indecisive one. Thus, she'd stick to it.

"A map of the Northern Countries, to be exact," Yukiko corrected her. She pointed a long, slender finger to a peninsula of land parallel to another peninsula. "These two stretches of land belong to the Halidom of Ylisse. According to my sources, they are the most friendly country at the moment. Although, they're currently struggling to prevent war with the neighboring kingdom," she slid a finger to the left, stopping in the middle of a circular chunk of land, connected to a few smaller chunks, "Plegia."

She frowned. "Can we not go to either?" she questioned.

Yukiko held up a hand. "Our best choice is Ylisse. Their leader is said to be an embodiment of peace herself, and is kind and wise beyond her years," she explained. Her sharp brows angled down. "However, the real problem lies in getting to the Exalt, as she is called, quickly enough," she informed the young princess.

Sai'Teke nodded, registering the situation. "Well, we'd best not waste time. How soon can we go?" she asked with desperate ferocity.

Yukiko shushed her, peering toward the door and listening intently. "Sai'Teke, you must understand the risks and doubts involved," she whispered, slowly returning to her seat. She began murmuring again, "The Exalt may not supply us with troops for fear that Ylisse needs them to hold off impending war. If you display your powers in public, they may no longer view you as safe or even competent. You will be feared.

"Also, travel is still dangerous no matter how you go about it. Are you absolutely sure you want to go through with this?" she asked, a wisp of concern tracing her features.

Sai'Teke stood and slammed her palms on the desk. "Without a doubt!" she whisper-yelled.

Yukiko's face, inches from hers, returned to its emotionless state. "Very well then. I expect you at Arante Harbor by noon tomorrow. Don't worry about the details, leave that to me," she informed her, swiftly blowing the candle out, rolling up the map, rising, and exiting to leave Sai'Teke in the literal dark.

The door opened. The door closed. She simply stared into the dark, unable to detect any real objects. She really wasn't seeing anything at that point. The gears in her head turned rapidly, spitting out thought after thought, drowning her in something like fear and excitement. It seemed too good to be true, yet, there she sat, after an agreement was made for her to be brought over. She barely knew Yukiko, but she'd served many years in the court without issues.

Her father's face flashed through her mind. What of him? He'd been relentlessly strict on her after she brought up her idea. She understood that he didn't want to lose her after her mother disappeared. A glaring thought struck her. Her twenty-first birthday had just passed, which meant she was about the age that her mother had been when Saraka last saw her.

She cleared her head with a deep breath. She... She needed to do it for her country. She would return. This time would be different. She could sense it, however ridiculous it sounded.

"Finally," she breathed. Freedom, at long last.

So she originally thought.

* * *

_Author's Notes: I HAVE NO REGRETS OF STARTING THIS._

_I WILL LATER, THOUGH._

_Anyway, this is the second parallel to Ashera's Curse. This is my first shot at anything like coming up with governmental issues, so please,** if you catch any glaring problems, don't hesitate to PM me or leave a review **about it. I'd like to improve as much as I can, and I always strive to take criticism into account. Often times, the smallest bit of it can change my entire perspective on something, resulting in a great improvement, a new story, or a new plot point._

_Anyway, I thank you heartily for reading. I know my writing isn't at its best, but I can only hope you've enjoyed this. _

_I will not be updating weekly, due to school, but I will endeavor to update as soon as I possibly can. This may mean monthly, I don't know. But I won't abandon the story._

_Thank you, and please leave a review if possible_. :)


	2. A Princess's Lament

_Lament_

* * *

Three weeks passed since they set sail. Sai'Teke, unable to release herself from her troubled mind and enter into sleep, stood on deck in her scratchy commoners' clothing and gazed out at the moon-kissed mass of roaring waves. The rough, splintered rail dug in to her palms as she leaned into the wild salty breeze. The pale moonlight danced on the waves in an eerie fashion, as if ghosts of travelers long past had come out to lament her cause.

She wouldn't have been able to sleep on that poor excuse for a bed, anyway.

Drawing in a wary breath, her pointed ears twitched at the boat's creaks. The sound was nothing new, of course, but it still came as something unusual and strange. Everything there was strange... She knew no one on board, the food they had was Goddess-awful, and it all seemed like some sort of strange dream until right then. Come to think of it, she never really spoke or paid attention to Yukiko before.

She leaned further down. The waves below lapped feebly at the gargantuan ship. Shuddering, she pulled her tattered shawl tighter around her shoulders. A chill settled into her body, a cold dread churning in her stomach. She couldn't pin the feeling down to anything.

Perhaps she should've stayed home. And watch her country bleed to death? She shook her head at the thought. The decision she made was the correct decision, though her heart was full of doubt.

Why didn't anyone else return? What so tempted then in those foreign lands that they were rejected, killed, or worse? Faint memories of her mother still haunted her. People's lives were affected by disappearance of family and friends, all because they desperately needed help they could not receive.

Saraka truly remained helpless, and she was the only one of her generation to do something about it; as she should, being the princess. Although, having the full weight of her country's burden on her shoulders daunted her and whittled down her resolve.

Why did she do it? Couldn't anyone else have gone? Nay, the nobles were mostly thin-spined cowards. Sai'Teke didn't dare ask Yukiko to go in her stead. Though she wouldn't admit it to anyone, the woman scared the living daylights out of her.

Then a thought tugged at her mind. What if Yukiko was not being honest about her identity and loyalties? It seemed possible. But, Sai'Teke couldn't turn back. She was already three weeks into the trip, and it wasn't as if she could jump out and swim back. In fact, just two days ago they spotted a delicate ribbon of brown land across the horizon. They'd had a few stormy nights, but the rest of the voyage went well and was expected to go smoothly thereon.

So why did she feel so uneasy? A queasiness pulled at her gut, and she had a feeling it wasn't seasickness.

She drooped over the railing, body weary, eyelids taunting her to close them and fall asleep then and there.

The waves seemed mesmerizing to her tired eyes. They drifted up and down against the boat... Back and forth. _Slish. Slosh. Slish. Slosh..._

She started at a harsh pressure on her back. The waves she loved so much came rushing toward her as the fall stole her stomach. She let out a shrill scream, all the while her body flailing helplessly. As she looked up at the moon behind the boat, a lean silhouette stood still, a cold white smile the only detail visible.

_I am going to die here._

She clawed the air, desperately hoping, wishing for something to hold onto.

_I have already failed my people._

A wall of burning hot cold enveloped her body. It engulfed her abd tossed it around like she was a rag doll.

_Oh, heavenly Lyra, why hath you done this so?_

She could not inhale; her lungs felt like someone had cast Elfire inside them. The harsh current stripped her of her free will to move. She twisted in ways one shouldn't ever have to twist, pulling, stretching, pain...

Then it stopped. All of the sudden, there was calm. She drifted gently, unmoving, the direction she knew not. She could no longer bother with thinking and discarded the very idea of moving, deeming it too taxing. Dark specks danced at the corners of her blurred vision. A squiggly white orb hovered above the surface of the water and... Smiled. It smiled. Sai'Teke smiled back, fading into the realm of the unconcious.

* * *

_Merrrp. I made you wait for this measly little thing ;-;_

_I've been busy, in case you haven't noticed. XD_

_Lilybud: Wow! :') I'm very glad you had this reaction to it, because the whole thing is a foreign concept to the archive. I constructed a fanmade country, government, characters... Whew. And, I did spend time on detail to make everything as realistic as possible. I needed readers to be able to relate to the circumstances because our heroine isn't jumping right in with familiar characters. Anyway, thank you! :D_

_Gunlord500: Ah, thank you very much! :D No worries, I never really said when they take place and neither have progressed enough to imply when. Unless you're psychic. That'd be pretty cool. Anyways, the first chapter of this story takes place three weeks before Robin is found by Chrom and Lissa. The Huntress actually begins a little farther along AC's storyline. Mioko's appearance on Giant's Garden is around the time of Robin's... Er... Being foundedness.(?) It might be a tad confusing, uh huh huh. Thanks! :)_

_Ah, also, I have a dilemma. I now realize it's terrible to talk about plot twists in advance, but of course Sai'Teke is going to get paired up and her child will play a significant role later on. What I can't decide is who she'll be paired with. If you have input, please let me know. I won't state my decision, but it'd be great to have some involvement with that. :D_

_PS_

_I promise to get the next chapter out sooner. I'm on a roll with ideas. ;)_


	3. Kiddo

It was a wonder to her why she let it go on that way. Had she done the right thing? No no, no such thoughts; it was only a matter of time until her goal would be completed. Still, something about that girl pulled at the strings of regret in her heart. She looked so much like her...

"Lady Yukiko."

She turned her head to a younger member of the organization, not bothering to get out of her chair. "Yes?" she drawled. She was tired of being constantly reminded of their route to the foreign land Plegia. Her navigator set the course for the country, claiming they'd be able to hide amongst the fierce mountains rimming the southern coast. She tapped her fingers impatiently on her ebony wood desk.

The young man bowed. "We are on course for Plegia, milady, and our smaller fleet was sent back home to spread news of the princess's apparent death," he confirmed.

"I know that," she responded flatly.

He appeared flustered and his cheeks reddened. "O-of course, milady! I have nothing further and shall take my leave!" he stuttered. He turned and trotted up the stairs out of the cabin.

What a troublesome boy. She often questioned why she put up with the irksome humans, but found only one answer: they were so very _interesting_. She tapped spindly fingers on the wooden desk, being careful to stay clear of her inkwell. The object sparked an idea. Perhaps she should write another entry in her book. She'd not call the thing a silly name like "diary" or "journal", but simply, "book". Besides, she was the only one who read it. She could call it anything she liked.

Yukiko daintily plucked her green iridescent quill pen and dipped it into the dark red ink. She slid open a drawer, retrieved her book and opened up its yellowed pages. It smelled of aged ink and adventure, sorrows and joys. It stuck out as a cold reminder of her role in the story, her destined fate.

_All went according to plan, of course. Fortunately, I didn't require the use of any magic and simply pushed the girl off the boat. We are on course for Plegia and our back-up fleet is due back in Saraka to convince the king that Sai'Teke is dead. Unfortunately, he'll probably have those on board hung by the next moon, but I should think they all realized. They are either valiantly brave or complete idiots._

_Happy New Year, I suppose. Well, only for me, anyway, if you want to speak technically._

_It's been 410,260 days. Every day counts in this life, and I won't have myself forget that. Funny how my writing style used to be so factual, so concrete, and now look at me. ...This really is nothing but a petty diary._

_Alas, yesterday marked the start of the fall of Saraka, I assume. All by my hands. How long will it last, I wonder? I can't believe I'm worrying myself over such a trivial decision. I have grown too used to making these decisions on a daily basis, I suppose. But, I cannot help but wonder what will become of my homeland. I know the girl will probably make it to her desired destination, but she is rash and foolish, and will soon forget of her withering country. Well, perhaps she isn't as thickheaded as she acts and will at least keep it in mind, but there's no way she'll know what I've actually done._

_Ah, what a poor girl she is. Royalty is not all it's cracked up to be, now is it, dear Sai'Teke? You've been trumped by the child of the snow, just as all your ancestors have._

_She will set things right, though, after all this time. I have a feeling she will, and my intuition is always correct. Besides, her stubborn spirit will be enough to keep her from breaking. There's still hope yet for those who need this to happen._

_Yukiko, Lady of the Snow_

_August 15, 1124th year of waiting_

* * *

Sand gritted against her face. Sand? Impossible... Last thing she remembered, she was on board the ship. Was she still dreaming?

Sai'Teke pushed herself up, gasping and collapsing back into the sand. Pain seared down her arm from her left shoulder. What did it mean? What happened?

"This is certainly no dream," she groaned.

Wait... Another memory surfaced, an inky black, murky vision. She was falling... Goddess, that part wasn't a dream, either. But how? Who could possibly wish such a thing on her? Who _would_ do such a thing?

Her shoulder throbbed dully from its sudden use. Her face still shoved in the sand, she swung her other arm around and patted the shore for her rapier, uttering a sigh of relief when she felt it still strapped to her belt. It miraculously stayed on when the sea thrashed her around. "Perhaps I should try to stand," she thought aloud. As if right on cue, she realized her body felt like lead. Her joints held a slight ache, and she opened her eyes to a brilliant sky, her vision swimming. Her neck denied movement after being stuck looking left for goddess knows how long. The situation taunted her like a bad dream, where she could do nothing but sit and wait to wake up.

A glacial wind brushed her body, racking her with cold and sending a spastic jolt up her spine. She cried out in a pitiful groan. Why did she agree to such a foolish journey? What had possessed her so? It wasn't long before she felt hot tears spilling down her face.

What a pathetic princess she turned out to be. She really would die like all the rest, or worse... She'd be found and tortured.

The first sob erupted, followed by many more. "Please help me, anyone... Please!" she cried. Her power was gone. Not just her royal power... But whatever other ability she owned now abandoned her. How disgustingly pathetic of her. She couldn't even muster the strength to shift.

If anyone could help her, she'd be eternally grateful. Anyone at all. Anyone... "Please..."

* * *

She flinched, sitting up and sending her head into a whirl. A washcloth slid down her brow and fell onto her lap with a plop. Sai'Teke no longer sat writhing on the shore, but in a cramped, dingy little abode lit only by a couple candles on the bedside table. Her head protested and body felt weak, so she lied back down. Straw stuck through the sheets of the shabby cot she rested on. She no longer wore armor, but was stripped down to the white cotton tunic she wore underneath her travel clothes.

"I've been saved," she breathed, "but by whom?" She could only wonder until they next returned. Unless they wouldn't return at all, she realized. She tried turning her neck to scour the room for clues, but found it much too painful and decided on slumping back down in order to get more rest. She shut her eyes for only a moment until her ears detected footsteps. Sai'Teke just barely cracked an eyelid open, spying on the door.

The door to the room creaked open, revealing a man holding a candle in one hand and cradling a tub in his other arm. He grumbled something and shuffled to the bed. Carefully placing the tub on the floor, he reached over for her face but halted.

The washcloth! She'd forgotten to place it back on her forehead. It still sat on her thigh, soaking water into her tunic.

He narrowed his eyes, looking suspiciously at the tousled sheets and stray cloth on her leg.

"Hey, you awake?" he inquired, setting the candle on the table.

His voice sounded smooth as honey, in a way. It took her a few moments to even understand what he said, for the language sounded unfamiliar. After digging through her hazy brain, she translated from a language she'd learned most of her life. She even used it to converse with a few others in Saraka, but dismissed it as a dead language that would be of no use.

The translated question made enough sense, so she nodded drowsily and tried sitting up.

He gently put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down. "I don't think you wanna do that. It's only been a few hours since I found you, and I have no idea where you came from or when you got here. Rest," he commanded, taking the washcloth off her leg and dunking it in the tub of water.

"Who... are you?" she attempted, hoping she still understood enough of the language to make sense.

"I'm Gaius. The better question is: who are _you_?" he replied.

"Sai'Teke," she answered. Was that the answer he wanted? Her name?

He laughed softly, "Figures as much, all I'd get is a name. That sounds Chon'Sinese. What are you doing all the way out here?"

"Chon... Sin... Ese?" she repeated slowly. Was that the country they were in?

He huffed, "Huh? Uh... Name for someone or something belonging to Chon'Sin. Didja lose your memories or something?" He ruffled his hair and wrung the excess water from the washcloth, carefully placing it on her forehead.

She released a relieved sigh at its cool touch. "No, I have memories. I am not..." she hesitated. Should she tell him she's foreign? What if he kicked her out?

"You're not from here, are you?" he said as if reading her mind.

"How did you know?" she inquired.

The questioned evoked a laugh from the man. "You're decked out in weird clothes and talking like a kid," he smirked.

"Weird clothes? That's... Popular dress where I am living," she protested weakly. How dare he insult her clothing! Well, he did save her... But, such an insult is not to be overlooked.

"Well, I've never seen anything like it before. I'll rephrase that: you're wearing _unique_ clothes. Better?" Gaius raised a brow and leaned closer.

She could smell something sugary on his breath. "Yes, I assume," she confirmed.

"You... Assume?" he questioned, then his eyebrows shot up, "Wait, can you understand me? Am I hard to understand at all?"

"I understand. It seems hard for me to speak," she admitted. Sai'Teke remembered much of the language as they conversed but, to her chagrin, she didn't remember enough to effectively form her own speech.

He nodded slowly. "Alright. Well, I'm no good at teaching. They say the best way to learn languages is to listen how other people speak, right? So I guess you'll have to do that." His face grew solemn.

"Okay," she agreed.

After several minutes passed, he opened his mouth to speak. "Well, you should get some rest," he declared, starting to stand.

She reached out and weakly grabbed at his shirt. "Wait. I..." she breathed.

"Huh?" He halted.

"Thank you."

He smiled gently in return. "No problem. See you in the morning, Kiddo."

"Kiddo?"

He chuckled and heaved the water tub up. "Go to sleep already," he teased, blowing out the candles on the bedside table.

She silently agreed, and shut her eyes. _Good night, Gaius._

* * *

_Wee. I updated. And... Plan to keep it that way. The thing about writing is that you're never truly done. I refuse to put any story on hiatus ;) as long as I keep writing, I'll get ideas. They might be good or bad lol. Anyway, I decided to tie the story down to canon as soon as I could. You can probably guess how this will play out now ;)_

_I'm guessing this storyline will sum up to ten chapters, give or take, before it joins with Ashera's Curse. This is really just a character study I'm doing on Sai'Teke to get a grip on her character before plunging her into AC._

_You guys might be thoroughly creeped out by Yukiko... And I don't blame you. But she's important in case you haven't picked up on that. ;) This obviously isn't the last you'll see of her. To be honest, she's my favorite OC I've concocted thus far. I have a feeling people will relate/compare her to Tharja, but she's pretty different. Huehuehue._

_I'm very grateful to my reviewers and readers, and hope you continue to enjoy the story. :)_


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